Machine for stretching fences



(No M'bael.)

P. A. REID. MAGHINB POR' STRETGEING PENGBS.

N0. 551,788. Patented Dec. 24, 1895.

5w E. HIM. NUTO'UTHQW Y0 UNITED STATES PATENT OyEEicE.

PETTIS A. REID, OF RICHMOND, INDIANA.

MACHINE FOR STRETCHING FENCES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 551,788, dated December24, 1895.

A Application led December 16, 1893. Serial No. 493,830. (No model.)

Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machinesfor Stretching Fences; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

This invention relates to machines for stretching fences, but moreparticularly to that class of machines which are especially designed foruse in stretching` flexible fences composed of wire and pickets, orsimilar fences, such as are made in sections by means of looms orotherwise.

rlhe main object of the invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive,efficient and durable machine or stretching device adapted to be easily,but firmly and securely, attached to a staff or standard with provisionfor easily and quickly connecting and disconnecting the same with theusual stays or braces which extend therefrom to an anchor post or stay,and to avoid mortising and thereby weakening the staff or standard onwhich the machine is mounted.

Other objects are to provide an improved chain-wheel and method ofmounting and journaling` the same upon the staff, together withco-operating elements of simple and economical construction, but less innumber than is usually employed, so as to simplify the construction andreduce the cost of manufacture and repairs, while increasing theefficiency and durability of the machine.

The invention consists essentially of a composite clamp of peculiarconstruction for attachment to a staff provided at one end with a duplexhook for connection with a brace or stay extending therefrom to anadjacent anto be taken as a part of this specification,

Figure l represents in front elevation a section of a iiexible fencewith my improved stretching machine or device operatively connectedtherewith. vation of the composite clamp, illustrating the method ofattaching the same to the standard and showing the chain-wheel and chainin position. Fig. 3 is an edge or front view showing the chain-wheeljournaled between the jaws of the two-part clamp; and Fig. 4L is ahorizontal sectional view, the section being taken centrally through thejaws of the clamp and showing the bearings for the journals of thechain-wheel and the method of attaching the two parts of the clamp tothe standard and to each other.

Referring to the drawings, A A denote the two parts of the compositeclamp which are adapted to be rigidly attached to the vertical staff orstandard D, each part being provided at one end with a hook a and at itsopposite end with a plate which preferably terminates in a projectingportion or finger d', Fig. 2. The two parts of the clamp are exactlysimilar in form, one being the counterpart of the other. The hooked endof each part is bent or inclined inwardly in such manner that when thetwo parts are attached to an intervening staff the two hooks willapproach each other so as to form, as itwere,but a single hook for theattachment of the stays or braces which connect the sta or standard withan anchor post or stay. On that side of the standard opposite the hookand anchor-postand between the two parts of the clamp is placed achain-wheel B, having preferably at each side thereof a projecting bossor journal adapted to iit an opening d2, formed to receive the same ineach of the side plates of the clamp A A, as shown more clearly in Fig.2. The periphery of the wheelB is recessed and transversely ribbed atboth sides of the recess, so as to form intervening depressions tocorrespond with the shape of the links of the chain which isto be usedfor stretching the fence and to adapt the wheel to clutch and preventthe chain from slipping as it is carried over the wheel in itsrevolutions. The fingers a a are designed to permit the free end of thechain to be placed and held on the outer side of one of said ngers, sothat as the chain is Fig. 2 is a detail side ele- IOO paid out by thewheel it may be carried to one side and thereby prevented from passingaround the wheel a second time and doubling up between the wheel andstaff so as to choke and lock the wheel, which usually results in injuryor damage thereto 0r to other parts of the device.

C in Fig. l denotes a clamp which may be secured to the fence that is tobe stretched, and E E chains which are removably secured at one end tosaid clamp, the one near the upper end and the other near the lower endthereof, the opposite ends of the chains being passed partially aroundthe wheels B B. Said chains may be composed of links of any desiredlength or shape to correspond with the ribbed and chambered or recessedformation of the periphery of the wheel B, into the recesses of whichthe links are adapted to iit. Said Wheel is also provided with a squareor angular opening b, Figs. 2 and 4, through the center thereof adaptedto receive asimilarlyshaped lug or projection f, formed upon anoperating-lever F, by means of which the wheel B may be made to revolveand carry with it the chain. The chain may be prevented from receding'by means of a pawl G engaging the links of the chain, so that any strainexerted on the clamp C tending to cause the chains to recede will bethrown upon the pawl. The two parts of the clamp may be readily andsecurely attached to the staif or standard D by means of bolts d d, andthey are preferably formed on the inner sides thereof adjacent to theprojecting side plates with flanges or ribs, between which and theshoulders or offsets formed at the bends in the hooked ends of the clampthe staff may be clamped, so as to prevent lengthwise or rocking motionof the clamp under the strain eX- erted thereon in stretching a fence.

I denotes an anchor post or stay planted or located in proper position ashort distance from the staff or standard l) and connected to the clalnpor clamps upon the staff by means of suitable stays or braces A A', saidstays being suitably connected at one end to said anchor-post and havingtheir opposite ends detachably connected to the hook or hooks a.

By forming the chain-wheel with bosses or journals iitting the openingsin the clampplates I dispense with the usual independent spindle andeliminate the cost of fitting the same and the wheel, which, asheretofore constructed, requires costlyhand, forge, and ma chine workand involves considerable additional expense for repairs, such partsbeing easily damaged in use; and by means of the composite clamp Idispense with the necessity for mortising or reeessing the staff orstandard on which the stretching device is mounted, thus making itpossible to make a much lighter staff and increasing the efficiency anddurability of the device.

I have hereinbefore described the construction of but a single machine,but two are usually employed together, as shown in the drawings. Theyare, however, alike in construction and operation.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

l. In a machine for stretching fences, the composite clamp consisting oftwo members, each having a hook formed upon one end thereof and a plateat its opposite end having an opening therein to provide a journalbearing, and terminating in a projecting finger; said members beingadapted to embrace the staff and provide at one side thereof a compositehook and at the opposite side suitable bearings for the journals of awheel supported by said plates, together with a finger for directing thechain to one side as it is paid out by the wheel, substantially asdescribed.

A machine for stretching fences, com prising a composite clampconsisting of two members each having a hook at one end integraltherewith, and at its opposite end a plate with an opening thereinforming a journal bearing; said plate terminating in a projectingfinger, and said members being arranged to embrace the staff, so as toprovide at one side thereof a composite hook and at the opposite sidesuitable bearings for the journals of a chain-wheel; a sprocket Wheelhaving axially projecting bosses or journals adapted to iit saidopenings and an angular opening therethrough to receive a similarlyshaped lug or projection upon an operating lever, and a pawl arranged toengage the links of a chain passing around said wheel, so as to preventthe chain from receding, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

PETTIS A. REII).

'Vitnesses:

W. T. DENNIS, J. A. SPEKENHIER.

IOO

